David alter



HILL & ALTER.

Lam p. No. 23,579. I Patented April 12, 1859.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAML. A. HILL AND DAVID ALTER, OF FREEPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAMP.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, S. A. HILL and DAVID ALTER, both of Freeport, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Lamp; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which" Figures 1 and 2, are sectional elevations of our invention, the two planes of section crossing each other at right angles.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention relates to an improved lamp of that class designed for burning hydro-carbons that are rich in carbon and consequently require a large amount of oxygen to support a proper combustion for illuminating purposes.

The invention consists in placing a semicylindrical cap over the top of the wick tube, said cap having a plate or strip placed concentrically within it, but at a certain distance from it to allow a suitable space between the cap and strip, both the cap and strip being slotted longitudinally and directly over the wick tube.

By this device combustion is retarded, and the fluid within the lamp as it is converted into vapor by the heat is not instantly burned, but is allowed to absorb or become mixed with a requisite quantity of oxygen, suflicient to support proper combustion and give a bright illuminating flame without a chimney.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention we will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the body of the lamp B, the cap and C, the wick tube fitted thereon. The wick tube is flat and extends upward a. suitable distance above the cap.

The above parts are constructed as usual and therefore do not require a minute description.

On the cap 13, and at each side of the tube C, there is placed two curved wires or rods D, D, D, D. These rods serve as supports for a semi cylindrical cap E, the length of which somewhat exceeds the width of the tube (1, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The cap at one side is attached to the upper ends of the rods D, D, so that it may swing or turn thereon, and the upper ends of the rods D, D, serve as bearings for the opposite side of the cap E.

The top of the cap E, is perforated or has a slot a, made in it longitudinally the slot being equal in length to the width of the tube C, and directly above it. WVithin the cap E, a curved strip F, is placed. This strip extends the whole length of the cap E, its ends being secured to the ends of the cap E, and a space Z), is allowed between the top of the cap and the strip F. The strip F, is also perforated or slotted as shown at c, corresponding with the slot in the top of the cap E, the two slots being in line or made to register with each other. The cap E, and strip F, are constructed of sheet metal.

The operation is as follows :-The oil or other material within the lamp is fed to the flame by the capillary attraction of the wick Gr, and when the wick is lighted the oil at the upper part of the wick is volatilized. by the heat produced by the flame. The cap E, and strip F, serve to retard combustion and the vapor is generated rather faster than it is consumed. The vapor therefore circulates around the upper part of the wick tube C, between the strip F, and in the space 5, and before igniting becomes mixed with oxygen so as to be completely burned when ignited, thereby producing a bright illuminating flame. It is not designed to have the cap E, or strip F, impinge the air upon the flame, they do not perform such office, but they obstruct combustion and thereby allow time for the vapor to be come mixed with a sufficient amount of oxygen to produce perfect combustion without the aid of the ordinary glass chimney. The strip F causes a small portion of flame designated by d, to burn near the upper end of the wick tube. This small portion of flame chiefly volatilizes the oil, for the cap E, and strip F, absorb the heat so fastthat combustion underneath the cap and strip is to a great extent prevented, but still the flame (Z, is sufficient to volatilize the oil as fast as it is raised and the vapor is retained below the orifice or slot 0!, of the cap E, and the orifice or slot 0, of the strip F, and mixed with oxygen as previously mentioned.

e would remark that the cap may be readily turned over so as to expose the wick tube for the purpose of trimming the wick,

lighting the same, etc. etc. The wick G, is raised and lowered in the tube by the ordinary serrated wheel H.

We do not claim separately the cap E, strip F, Within the cap E as and for the nor any portion of the device covered by purpose herein shown and described. the patent granted to P. Plant April 6,

1858 but SAMUEL A. HILL.

5 Hziving thus described our invention What DAVID ALTER" We claim as new and desire to secure by Letl/Vitnesses:

ters Patent is,' WILLIAM TODD,

The arrangement and combination of the DAVID'ALTER, J r. 

